Technician guide for older copiers and MFPs that cannot communicate
with modern Windows SMB2/SMB3 file shares.
SECURITY WARNING — READ FIRST
SMB1 is an obsolete file-sharing protocol with significant security weaknesses.
Modern Windows systems intentionally disable or remove it.
Do not enable SMB1 simply as a generic Scan-to-Folder troubleshooting step.
First verify that the copier cannot use SMB2 or SMB3. Update copier firmware
and change its SMB protocol setting when possible.
If SMB1 is genuinely required, use it only with customer authorization,
limit exposure, and recommend upgrading or replacing the legacy device.
When Should You Suspect SMB1?
An older copier may require SMB1 when:
Scan to Folder previously worked with an older Windows computer.
The destination stopped working after a Windows replacement or upgrade.
IP address, username, password and permissions are confirmed correct.
The copier is an older generation with no SMB2/SMB3 option.
Current firmware still only supports SMB1/CIFS.
Always check the copier first.
If the device has an SMB protocol setting, select SMB2 or SMB3 instead
of weakening Windows to accommodate SMB1.
Understand the Connection Direction
For normal copier Scan to Folder:
COPIER / MFP
│
│ SMB connection
▼
WINDOWS PC
│
▼
SHARED SCAN FOLDER
The copier is the SMB client and Windows is providing
the SMB file share.
Therefore, an SMB1-only copier may require the Windows computer to accept
an SMB1 connection.
Installing only the Windows SMB1 Client does not necessarily
solve this situation. The Windows SMB client is used when Windows connects
outward to another SMB server. Scan-to-folder normally involves the copier
connecting inward to the Windows share.
Step 1 — Verify SMB2/SMB3 First
Open the copier's administrator interface or Embedded Web Server.
Locate Network, SMB, File Sharing or Scan settings.
Look for SMB protocol/version settings.
Choose SMB2, SMB2/SMB3 or the highest supported version.
Save the setting.
Restart the copier if required.
Test Scan to Folder again.
If SMB2 or SMB3 works, STOP. Do not enable SMB1.
Step 2 — Verify the Normal Scan Setup
Before blaming SMB versions, confirm:
Setting
Example
Host
192.168.1.50
Protocol
SMB
Port
445
Share
Scans
Path
Optional subfolder
Username
PCNAME\scanuser
Password
User's actual password
Do not enter the complete Windows filesystem path such as
C:\Scans into a copier field that expects the SMB share name.
Step 3 — Check the Windows Share
Example folder:
C:\Scans
Right-click the folder.
Select Properties.
Open Sharing.
Select Advanced Sharing.
Enable Share this folder.
Give the scan user Change/Write permission as required.
Open the Security tab.
Give the same user NTFS Modify/Write permission as required.
Remember: Both Share permissions and NTFS Security permissions
can affect whether the copier can create a file.
Only proceed with SMB1 when you have confirmed that the legacy device
requires it.
Step 5 — Enable SMB1 Using Windows Features
Customer authorization recommended.
Explain that this is enabling a legacy protocol because the copier cannot
use the modern SMB protocol.
Open Start.
Search for Turn Windows features on or off.
Open Windows Features.
Locate SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support.
Expand it.
Enable only the component required for the specific legacy workflow.
For an SMB1-only copier scanning INTO a Windows shared folder, the relevant
component may be SMB 1.0/CIFS Server, because Windows is
hosting the destination share.
Restart Windows when prompted.
PowerShell Method
A technician can inspect available SMB1 feature names first:
If the legacy workflow has been approved and requires Windows to host an
SMB1 share, the applicable SMB1 feature can then be enabled using Windows'
optional-feature management.
Do not blindly copy SMB1 enablement commands onto customer computers.
Windows editions/builds can expose different optional-feature components,
and enabling unnecessary SMB1 components increases exposure.
Windows Defender Firewall allows File and Printer Sharing on the intended network profile.
Do not disable Windows Firewall as a permanent fix. Configure the required
File and Printer Sharing rules instead.
Step 7 — Use a Dedicated Scan Account
For legacy equipment, consider creating a dedicated local Windows account
for the copier instead of using an employee's normal login.
Example:
User: scanuser
Purpose: Copier Scan-to-Folder only
Use a strong password appropriate to the customer's policy and grant the
account access only to the required scan folder.
This also prevents Scan-to-Folder from suddenly breaking when an employee
changes their normal Windows password.
Step 8 — Test Port 445
From another Windows computer, PowerShell can test whether the destination
is reachable on SMB:
Test-NetConnection 192.168.1.50 -Port 445
A successful result should report:
TcpTestSucceeded : True
This confirms TCP connectivity to the SMB service. It does not prove that
the copier's username, password, permissions or SMB dialect are correct.
Common Failures
Authentication Error
Wrong username.
Wrong password.
Wrong domain/computer-name format.
Copier does not support the authentication method Windows requires.
Connection Error
Wrong IP address.
TCP 445 blocked.
Firewall issue.
SMB dialect mismatch.
Network/VLAN routing issue.
Login Works but File Cannot Be Written
Share permissions.
NTFS Security permissions.
Wrong share/path.
Read permission granted but Modify/Write missing.
It Worked on Windows 7 but Not the New PC
This is a classic sign that the old copier may rely on a legacy SMB version
or authentication behavior. Verify the copier's SMB capabilities before
changing Windows security.
Do NOT Use These as Quick Fixes
Do not disable Windows Firewall permanently.
Do not give Everyone Full Control unless genuinely required and authorized.
Do not enable Guest access merely to avoid fixing authentication.
Do not disable password-protected sharing as the first solution.
Do not enable every SMB1 component without determining which role is required.
Do not expose SMB ports to the public Internet.
After SMB1 Is Enabled
Restart Windows if required.
Restart the copier if appropriate.
Send a one-page scan.
Confirm the file appears in the destination folder.
Open the scanned file.
Test again from another copier function if appropriate.
Document that SMB1 was required.
Document the reason SMB1 was enabled so another technician does not assume
it was accidental.
Rollback — Disable SMB1
If firmware is updated, the copier is replaced, or SMB2/SMB3 begins working,
remove the legacy dependency.
Windows Features → SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support
Disable the SMB1 components that are no longer required and restart Windows
when necessary.